Life After C-Section

I love being a mom. But I can tell you that c-sections flat out suck.

The recovery is hard and painful. I coughed in the hospital and cried. I laughed when we brought her home, and it sent me reeling in pain.

Nursing hurts because not only is it a painful thing on its own at first, but it also hurts to have the pressure on your incision. So you have to find creative positions in which to feed the baby. Which is especially difficult when people come over, and you want to be modest.

But then, six weeks out, you just start to turn a corner. It hurts less. And eight weeks out, you feel like a different person.

Since then, I’ve only had to use ice packs a couple of times. I still feel pain sometimes when or after I exercise, but I’ve been told it will take until 6 months from the date of surgery before I feel 100% again.

So, when things began to turn around, I started to look in the mirror and judge.

Stretchmarks? Check.

Flab? Check.

Scar? Check.

Loss of muscle tone? Check.

Belly hanging over my scar? Check.

I won’t even go into my weight.

I waver back and forth between self-loathing and pride. I hate how my body looks now, but I am amazed at what it accomplished. I grew a baby – a mammoth baby that was too big to fit through my pelvis- and brought her safely into this world.

I might have stretchmarks, but I sure as heck earned them. I carried a 9 lb, 2 oz, 22 inch baby in my 5’2.75″ frame. DANG. I don’t like the stretching, but I’m proud of what it represents.

I carried a life. I grew a strong, beautiful daughter. I intend to do it again (and again) someday. I don’t regret what I gave up.

But then I look in the mirror and compare myself to the other moms I know that are tiny and fit within weeks of birth. Even some who had c-sections.

At first I felt sorry for myself. And then I decided I was going to kick this fat to the curb now that I was physically capable of doing something about it.

So I started the couch-to-5K program. I hate running, but it seems like I am jealous of every runner I know, so that’s the body I want. This program has actually made it manageable for me so far, though I am doing it on the treadmill for now, thanks to allergies and Georgia heat.

Then, when we went to the mountains, Tom and I went hiking a lot. If you would have told me a month and a half before that I’d be hiking all over while carrying a 15 pound baby girl, I would have laughed you out the door. But it happened!

I’ve also changed my diet, both for my sake and for Josey’s. I’ll go into more of that later. I told Tom that if I don’t get healthy and fit doing this, I give up. It’s donuts from here on out. haha

So, here I am. Three months and some change from having my abdomen sliced open and a watermelon sized baby pulled from it. It’s nice to know that it really does get easier after the first several weeks.

It’s still a mental, emotional and physical battle to get back to a body I feel comfortable with, but I’m making the strides.

And I’ve found that as long as I’m doing what I can to be healthy, I give myself a lot more grace for the fact that I don’t look just how I want yet. I know I’m doing what I can.

If you’ve got a c-section ahead of you and haven’t gone through it before, take heart. It’s hard. But it gets better.

And it’s definitely worth it.

~Meghan

 

She Loves Music.

Josey has loved music since I was pregnant. She used to dance along with me when I would play it in the car or when Tom would play guitar.

Not much has changed except that now we can see her expressions as she hears it. So fun! She LOVES it.

And I think she especially loves all the attention of having her daddy play guitar and sing to her. Thankfully, she likes our music because we don’t play nursery songs so much as stuff we like (everything from punk to John Mayer to oldies). haha

Here’s a video where Tom was playing a song called My Life Story by MXPX, and Josey was having a blast.

I can’t wait until she has her own guitar and Tom is teaching her how to play. That should be pretty cute.

~Meghan

Conversations with Josey

Our Jellybean turned 3 months old Saturday. She seems very chill around other people, taking it all in. People frequently tell us that they don’t believe she knows how to cry.

But when it’s just our little family at home, she has a lot to say, laughs a good bit, yells when she wants something, and kicks around and waves her arms like crazy. And yes, she sure knows how to cry.

And how to fake a cry.

And how to fake a cough, even. Her pediatrician and I had a good laugh when she faked one during a doctor’s visit last Friday. That’s probably the one place she isn’t going to fool anyone.

Here’s a video of Jo “talking” to me and Tom. It’s so funny to us the way that she will make noises as if she is saying separate words and full sentences. We also love her various expressions as she shares her thoughts.

Watch out, world. It looks like this one might be as loquacious as her mama.
~Meghan

Dancing Baby

Watching babies dance and do air guitar to Bon Jovi is so awesome.

I’m so glad we’ve got a baby of our own so we can make movies with her now that she can roll her eyes at later. Ya know, when she’s 13.

Until then, we’re gonna crack up as she rocks out.
~Meghan

ps- If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, just skip to the chorus and watch from there. The end of the video gets some great air guitar going on.

ps2- This was filmed at our rental in the mountains.

Powdered Laundry Detergent Vs. Liquid Laundry Detergent

I have been making homemade laundry detergent for the last couple of years. It saves our family lots of moolah, and it’s easy to do.

In the past, I’ve made the liquid version, but this time around, I wanted to do the powdered kind to see if it would work as well. I was cleaning out my laundry room and thought it might also be nice to not have a five gallon bucket of soap in there taking up space.

So, here is the powdered homemade laundry detergent recipe I used (thank to the Duggar’s website):

*1 grated bar of Fels Naptha Bar Soap

*1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

*1/2 cup of Borax

I also added some Purex crystals to the batch I made for me and Tom, for the scent. I left a smaller batch “crystal-free” for Josey’s laundry.

Mix all ingredients, and you’re done!

You use a tablespoon of detergent per load. Easy, peasy!

I made a double batch for mine and Tom’s laundry. Here’s a picture:

I have nothing against the liquid detergent. It has served me well for the last two years!

But I am LOVING the powdered detergent.

Not only do I get to keep it in a cute little jar with a cute little tablespoon to scoop it, but it takes up less space, makes less mess, and it’s even faster to make. I also don’t have to haul around a 5 gallon bucket every few weeks to refill the detergent dispenser.

Another benefit that I didn’t think of until I was traveling with a baby, is that it travels easily! I can always count on something getting dirty from spit-up or an overflowing diaper or…something!

So now I just scoop a few tablespoons into a ziplock bag and pack it when we go out of town. I don’t have to worry about stains!

(Here’s a tip, if it you don’t have any stain removers on hand: Rinse the spot off then make a paste of the laundry detergent and water. Rub the paste into the dirty spot. When you can, launder as usual. I did this with a onesie that a diaper had blown out on, and it washed right out two days later when we got back from vacation!)

So if you’re trying to decide between the two, this is my vote!

~Meghan

And then there’s the decorative stuffed fox.

Thanks for all the kind comments about my last post (both here and on twitter & facebook!). Tom and I really enjoyed our trip.

One thing I always get a kick out of when on vacation is the way people decorate …and I use that term loosely…their vacation homes. It seems like people just buy random junk and then, when they can’t think of where to put it, they say, “I know! I’ll put it in the cabin!” (Or beach house if that’s what they own.)

I did a quick once-over of the cabin while Tom was showering on our last morning there. I mention what Tom was doing because I didn’t get to take a picture of the towel holder in the bathroom. It was a tiny wooden stirrup. Yes, as in where your foot goes on a saddle. And it had what looked like was a miniature sheriff’s star on it.

…exactly.

I keep looking at this picture and wishing I had paid more attention to this weird statue on the porch by the bench on the right. I have no idea what this thing is about.

Moving inside, it was very obvious that the owners were very patriotic.

Even the fridge was patriotic…

But the fridge was also home to a freaky gnome. (I find all gnomes freaky. They’re not for me.)

Here’s a random face on the wall.

There was also a lot of stuff to reference skiing. Which I would get if we were in the mountains of some other state, but in Georgia, nobody skis. Or have moose roaming free.

In one bedroom, there was a wall of famous people with plastic instead of glass in the frames. Our take-away was that they are Elvis fans. And that they don’t want someone to knock a picture to the floor and shatter glass.

In the other bedroom, there was a really random assortment. An old photo of two young men about to have a duel next to an “ethnic Raggedy Ann doll” (I looked it up online, and that’s what it’s called).

All of that was surrounded with bear paraphernalia (which at least made more sense because there actually are bears in the north Georgia mountains).

On the other side of that bedroom is a picture of what I assume to be the owners’ grandkids dressed in saloon attire, a mirror surrounded by antlers, a canteen, and a metal star.

And then there’s the decorative stuffed fox on the mantel. Next to the vase of fake flowers and the potpourri being held up by antlers.

That was our favorite. We were tempted to put it on the ground and see what the dogs would do, but then I decided that I didn’t want to have to pay for damages to an animal that was already dead.

It’s fascinating to me to see the things people think make a place look decorated and homey. I really did love the cabin we stayed in, but it was no exception to the “vacation home is a place for all my random crap” rule that people seem to live by.

I actually look forward to seeing all the weird stuff that people use to decorate their home(s) away from home. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever come across in a rental?
~Meghan

This Trip Was LEGEN..wait for it..DARY!

(You’ll have to excuse my title. I’ve been watching the first six seasons of How I Met Your Mother on Netflix.)

Tom and I got back from Ellijay yesterday, and we had a great time! As I said before, we used Sliding Rock Cabin Rentals (it was our second time with them), and it was another wonderful experience. Both cabins we have stayed at in Ellijay were great.

Here’s the one we stayed at this time. It’s called Seclusion, and it really lived up to its name.

The driveway took us far from the road. We couldn’t see or hear anyone out there!

View from living room window to porch.

Upstairs Porch.

Hot tub view.

Downstairs porch.

Yard they made so deer would come feed. It was steeper than it looks.

And because they cleared out to make a yard, we had a LOT of firewood. This was the supply AFTER we had fires going for three days.

The dogs LOVED getting to come on vacation with us, especially because they got to go on hikes with us and burn some of their excessive terrier energy. Tom and I were so impressed with them.

We would have had a hard time hiking through the woods with them before they were trained, but now, Tom was able to walk them easily up and down the mountains, through steams (even though they hate getting wet), and without any issues of them pulling due to wanting to chase squirrels or birds.

I was hauling around Josey, so I didn’t handle the dogs as much. One day, we took a trail by the cabin and hiked for about 2.5 hours. It took us to a pretty stream, and Tom climbed out over this fallen tree and took some pictures. I don’t know if you can tell, but he was about 12 feet off the ground here.

This is the stream at its widest point. So pretty out there!

We climbed up to another trail and came out on this view of a railroad track in front of the mountains (the tracks are on the other side of the clearing).

Another day, we drove to Amicalola Falls State Park and hiked to the falls. “Amicalola” is Cherokee for “tumbling waters.” These falls are the highest in the southeast. They fall 729 feet. This picture is taken from a bridge in the middle of the falls, looking up.

Josey slept through the hike. In fact, she slept through the majority of our hiking. When she was awake, she was staring up at the trees and the sky. Happy camper!

View from the top of the falls.

After we made it to the waterfall, we weren’t ready to go back, so we hiked some other trails there. It was fun to just get out and explore a bit.

We came across this tree that was mostly gone. The inside looked like paper instead of wood.

We took in the view one more time and headed back.

This was an awesome trip. We wore ourselves out hiking every day, and we found an activity that we can all enjoy as a family. I’m definitely going to look for some local hiking areas for us to try out now that we’re home again.

If you’re in the Atlanta area and looking for a place to vacation that’s not too far to drive, I highly recommend renting a cabin in Ellijay. And if you want to bring your dogs, I recommend Sliding Rock Cabin Rentals. We have had nothing but positive experiences!

~Meghan

Las Montañas

Back in November 2010, Tom and I headed to Ellijay, GA to enjoy some time away in a mountain cabin.

Today, we’re heading back. We’ll be in a different cabin this time, but it’s through the same (dog-friendly) company. We’ll pack up the pooches and Josey and take off for a long weekend of relaxing and celebrating our fourth anniversary.

I’m SO excited. Hot tubs, hikes, and mountain vistas? Heck yeah, baby.

The guys at 8BIT wanted to do something nice for Tom after they released a product to a new group of customers. Tom was the developer for the project, and it required a LOT of his time.

They were so sweet to see a need for rest and surprise Tom with this trip! Since it was so close to April 5th, we decided to use this gift as an anniversary getaway!

With Tom working from home most days, he doesn’t really get “away from the office” as easily as most people do by driving home from work. But when we go on a vacation, we get to unplug from work and recharge. Nothing but relaxation.

And food. We are grilling out for dinners and will be eating some delicious steaks and chicken that’s already marinating. Mmm.

We having some rather decadent sweets too. We pretty much never have donuts, but I am a Krispy Kreme lover, and I picked up some donuts for this trip.

I also rarely buy zebra cakes (and when I do, I hide them so that I don’t have to share them with anyone but Tom), but they will be making the trip with us as well.

Amazing.

And yes, it’s a little embarrassing that I’m almost as excited about eating a donut as I am about the entire trip. But what can I say? I’m easy to please.

Have a great weekend!

~Meghan

Easter. Next Year, We Will Train For It.

This year, as we do every year, Tom and I headed to Covington for Easter to spend it with family.

(My parents.)

(Tom’s parents.)

It was our first time taking Josey to church, and it was the first time that most people at the church I grew up in had ever gotten to meet her.

That was really special to me, because I was raised in that church and have known many people there my entire life. Most of the ladies were at my Covington baby shower for Josey. Some of them have kids that I used to babysit. So surreal to bring my own sweet baby to meet them all!

And of course, Easter is always a wonderful reminder of how God loves us. What a sacrifice! I could no sooner send Josey to die for others than I could sprout wings and fly. Being a parent has spoken volumes to me about how much God loves me.

And then, there was also the other side of Easter.

Tom gave me a hard time about the size of Josey’s Easter basket.

I had stuffed it full of goodies because she couldn’t eat candy. My mom added in the book gift sets, and my mother-in-law gave her the little basket on the right.

Here’s the deal- next year, she is going to need a big basket.

I am totally going to train Josey for egg hunting. Yes, it is just supposed to be cute and fun. And it will be.

But I want her to have a fighting chance.

See these sweet faces?

Well, they know how to hunt some eggs. It took me 20 minutes to hide all the eggs at my mom and dad’s house. It took them no time to find them.

I mean, I had clamped them onto leaves of branches on the inner area of trees, and they had no trouble. Some accidentally fell by spider webs, and they still picked them up.

They only one they needed assistance finding was one I hid in my dad’s truck. And they didn’t look there because…who would? It wasn’t part of the garden.

And I’ll tell you why. People these days don’t fill Easter eggs with candy. Nope. They fill them with coins.

And these kids find that a strong motivator. Heck. I find it a strong motivator. I could’ve gotten a pair of shoes if I had taken them all out shopping with me!

So next year, Josey is gonna train for the egg hunt like it’s the Olympics. Mama wants some new espadrilles.

Just kidding!

Kind of.

~Meghan

Baby Favorites- Months 1 and 2

I promised I would share some of my favorite things I’ve used with Josey for the first couple of months to a friend of mine who is also expecting. And then I thought, why not share it on the blog? That way other moms can chime in with their favorite things too! And other mommys-to-be can check out the list as well!

I think I will start doing this once a month since new items we have for Jo will be used as she gets older. Here is my list of my favorite things we’ve used the first couple of months:

Diapering:

1. Pampers Swaddlers.

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I have tried Huggies. I’ve tried Pampers Baby Dry diapers too. Wasn’t a fan.

Pampers Swaddlers are awesome. Other diapers shift (which lets poop leak out), can be too tight, and generally just haven’t worked as well for me.

I also recommend you use Amazon Mom with “Subscribe and Save” to order your diapers. I got a big ol’ box of 206 diapers for about $.19/diaper with that system. I would have to hope for coupons and sales to all line up for me every month to continuously get those prices.

*UPDATE* Around 4 months old, Josey needed a bigger size than we could find in the swaddlers, so we started using Pampers Cruisers for her in size 4+. We have really liked them as well.

2. Safety 1st Easy Saver Diaper Pail

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I first saw this pail when I was nannying Will. I had been convinced that someday I would have a Diaper Genie. It was the diaper pail I loved. And then I met this one.

With the Diaper Genie, you have to squish the diaper down into the pail and then twist it off to block the smell. When using it, I hated having to stick my hand down into the pail with the diaper. And the refill bags are about $20 for 3 refills. I’m not hating on the Diaper Genie; it’s great. It’s just not the choice for me.

This diaper pail is simple. You use a regular kitchen trash bag, so it’s VERY cheap to replace the trash bag. To toss a diaper, you just push the button on top, and the round center pops up. You toss the diaper in the hole, and then put the center back down.

The inside of the center has a place to put a deodorizer to fight any smells. As long as you take the trash out regularly, it doesn’t get stinky in the nursery.

The price tage of this pail is great too, at $20 a pail. Much cheaper than most!

3. Timi & Leslie Diaper Bag (The Hannah).

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I love this diaper bag. It comes with a little matching clutch to use for your stuff so that when you are headed somewhere without the baby, you just pull it out of the diaper bag and go. But the whole diaper bag looks like a purse, so even when you take the baby with you, you’re in style!

It also comes with straps to hang it from your stroller or grocery cart, a shoulder strap, a bottle keeper, a bag for soiled clothes, and a changing pad. It’s pretty awesome.

Nursing

I use the Ameda Purely Yours pump that I bought from a friend, and it’s great. I also have bottles and a great bottle warmer that I like. But I nurse more than anything, so I’m going to skip talking about bottles and such. If you are interested in what I have and like, let me know, and I’ll post about those as well!

I will say this- it’s worth owning a breast pump. When you first start nursing, that first month is painful, you’re trying to figure it out, and I personally dealt with engorgement and a blocked milk duct. It’s VERY nice to have a pump to help move things along. And if you do skip a feeding and give a bottle, you’ll want to pump later to be more comfortable. Worth it.

1. Nursing Bras.

I LOVE the Medela Ultra Stretch Nursing Bra from – believe it or not- Babies R Us. It is one you can sleep in or just wear around the house. This was the only one I bought before Josey arrived because I heard that you get so much bigger after your milk comes in. (You really do.) It stretches to accomodate varying sizes you will be when nursing.

I also got some more normal nursing bras at Motherhood Maternity. They have all different styles and sizes, so I recommend waiting until a week or two after you have the baby and going to try them on. Your milk should be in by then, so you can be more sure of getting the right size. Just make sure you have at least one nursing bra like the one I linked to above to get you through until then.

2. Nursing Pads- Cloth is the way to go.

I registered for disposable nursing pads, and I also bought some washable cloth ones. Turns out that disposable ones don’t stay put as well, and they can cause infection because they don’t allow the air to circulate.

My favorite nursing pads are actually some that were made for me by one of my friend’s moms out of old t-shirts, and they’re awesome. But the ones I bought (Avent Washable Breast Pads) are also great.

3. Nursing Pillows

 I have both a Boppy and a My Brest Friend pillow. I had never heard of the latter until a friend gave it to me. Here’s the My Brest Friend:

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And here’s the Boppy:

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Honestly, I think they are both great, and I’m lucky to have one of each.

The My Brest Friend is nice because it has a padded strap that goes around your back and buckles so the pillow stays in place around your waist. In the first few weeks, this was AWESOME for me, because I could put my little newborn on it while it was strapped around me and feed her while putting on my make-up when I had somewhere to be and limited time to get ready.

The Boppy is upstairs in our room, and I love it for night feedings. I can quickly pull it around me without needing to fumble with a buckle or wrapping it around my back. It’s great for times when you have your arms free to nurse but want some extra support for the baby’s body.

They both come in a variety of styles and have covers you can buy for them.

Bathtime

1. Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Deluxe Tub

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There are a lot of tubs out there, and this is the one we got. I love it.

It’s easy to clean, the color works for both boys and girls, and it holds Josey really well. It also has an indicator on the bottom that lets you know if the water is the right temperature for a baby (of course, I still test it with my elbow first).

She gets a bath every other day right now, so having a good tub for her is important to me. And as she grows, you can adjust the tub to fit her growing body.

Also, it has a hook on the top so you can hang it from a shower rod and let it drip dry out of the way.

2. Munchkin Shampoo Rinser

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Who would have known that a $5 impulse buy at Target could be so awesome?

I was tired of using drinking cups to rinse Josey during her baths, and when I saw this, it seemed perfect. Turns out, it was perfect.

It’s soft, so it doesn’t hurt when I press it against her head to rinse shampoo, it holds plenty of water, and it has a handle. It’s not slippery either. Love it.

3. Hooded Towels

Not much to say about this. I just love having hooded towels for Josey because it keeps her little head covered when she’s wet from the tub, and I’m drying her off and getting her dressed. I don’t want her getting too cold.

And ok…it’s also super cute!

Naps and Bedtime

1. HALO Sleep Sacks

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These blankets are great. You don’t want to put a baby to sleep with a loose blanket because of the risk of suffocation. But with these blankets that they wear, you zip them into their blanket. And for the littler sizes, it has flaps that you can wrap around the arms to swaddle your baby as well. Awesome.

They come in both micro-fleece and cotton to fit your baby’s needs for warm and cold weather months.

2. Summer Infant Complete Coverage Video Monitoring System

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I LOVE this monitor set. It shows her in color if the lights are on, and we can also see her on the video monitor if her room is pitch black.

We have the big monitor in our kitchen, and I keep the portable one in our room. If I need to run an errand while she naps, I just hand that one to Tom in the office while he works. Easy peasy!

Travel

1. Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat

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This is our exact carseat (the style is “Cubes”), and we got it in gray because it would work for a boy or girl.

This carseat is awesome. Not only does it have great safety reviews, but it’s so easy.

The base gets secured into your car, and then the carseat locks into the base. Then, when you need to take the carseat out, you just lift it out while holding a button in to unlock it. No more need to fumble with the seatbelt every time you need to take the baby out of or put the baby into the car.

You can also buy additional bases if you have more than one vehicle that you will regularly use to transport the baby.

2. B.O.B. Stroller

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Specifically, we have the B.O.B. Revolution SE (and yes, we got ours in orange).

I cannot praise this stroller enough. It is SO smooth, it turns on a dime because the front wheel swivels, it can handle all kinds of terrain, you can jog with it as easily as take it to the mall, and it has accessories for all your needs.

For now, we have a bar that we have attached that Josey’s carseat locks onto to keep it securely in place while she’s too little to sit up in the stroller on her own. We also have the handlebar console that has two cupholders and a zippered pouch to hold keys, pacis, phone, etc.

Other accessories include covers for weather, sun, and bug protection and a tray for snacks and drinks for your toddler.

This stroller also comes in a double (called the Duallie) for families with more than one kid in a stroller.

The price tag is higher than many strollers, but these are durable, awesome strollers and WORTH EVERY PENNY.

3. JJ Cole Car Seat Cover

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We bought this car seat cover because we were having a January baby. The last thing I wanted was to worry about whether Josey was going to be too cold every time we got outside the house.

This cover is great. You just pull it over the rim of the carseat, and it stays put with the elastic band holding it in place.

The cover part can flip up over the baby’s face if it’s really cold, snowing, or raining to protect them while you walk from the car to the building or vice versa. (Obviously don’t leave it up once you get inside.)

The cover also zips open (and completely off if you need it to) if it’s too warm for the baby.

We aren’t using this right now since it’s so warm, but it was a great item to have for the winter.

Miscellaneous

1. WubbaNub Pacifier

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Oh man, JoJo LOVES her Wub. These pacis are attached (as you can see) to tiny stuffed animals.

Many babies have a hard time keeping the pacis in their mouths as they suck, and moms and dads end up having to hold the paci in with their fingers. With the WubbaNub, the stuffed animal puts a little pressure against the paci, helping to hold it in place.

The animal rests on the baby’s chest. It’s not perfect; the paci still falls out at times, but it’s MUCH better than having to use your finger to provide pressure all the time. Sometimes Josey is holding onto the animal and accidentally pulls it out of her mouth. I’m still a fan.

2. Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker

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This is a great chair (and they have different styles in case pink isn’t what you’re looking for!). JoJo loves to look at the flower and butterflies that hang from it, and I can take that bar off if I want an unobstructed view of her. I also rock it with my foot when she is sitting in it and I’m busy working on the computer or doing something else.

You can also turn on vibration to soothe the baby while they sit in the seat. If you don’t want movement, you can pull the bar underneath forward and it will stabilize the chair. You can strap the baby in to keep from slipping down in the chair.

And when they get to be toddlers, just adjust the seat up more to a sitting position (versus reclining) and take the butterfly bar off. It becomes a toddler-sized rocking chair! Cute.

3. Infantino Vintage Twist and Fold Activity Gym

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I love that this activity gym could work for a boy or a girl. Josey has been playing on this since she was two or three weeks old. I have it set up in our bathroom now so that she can look at the animals (and punch and kick them) while I get ready in the mornings.

One cool feature is that you can twist the little tab on the top (on the orange plastic piece on top), and it straightens the arched “arms” of it. You can pull the mat up into it, and roll it up to take with you quickly and easily. It takes up very little space when folded up.

To get it back to normal, you just spread the mat part back out and then press down on the orange plastic part. It press out on the arms and locks them into place. Super easy.

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So those have been my very favorite things (besides clothing) for the last two months. She is about to get some new things in her Easter basket, so I’m sure I’ll have new things to add next month!

Anything else to add from your baby’s first couple of months, other moms?

~Meghan

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